Coverage dated July 2, 2023 to July 4, 2023

Philippines consider banning ‘Barbie’ movie over South China Sea map

Headline from KTLA Los Angeles, on the newest of 2 developments

Another country may ban the upcoming “Barbie” movie because it features a map depicting China’s claimed territory in the South China Sea. Officials with the film review board in the Ph…

KTLA Los Angeles's own description from its feed. We collect headlines and these descriptions, not full articles; read the original reporting below.

Developments in this update

2 dated developments, oldest first, newest marked. Each is named by one outlet's own headline; open its reports to see every outlet that covered it.

  1. Vietnam bans 'Barbie' movie over illustration showing China's territorial claim

    Headline from 10TV Columbus ·

  2. Newest

    Philippines consider banning ‘Barbie’ movie over South China Sea map

    Headline from KTLA Los Angeles ·

Reports & sources

82 articles, oldest first.

  1. NBC News

    ‘Barbie’ movie banned in Vietnam over map of disputed South China Sea (opens NBC News)

    Published

    NBC News's feed description

    The U-shaped “nine-dash line” is used on Chinese maps to illustrate its claims over vast areas of a potentially energy-rich stretch in the South China Sea.

  2. Washington Times

    Vietnam bans Barbie movie over pro-Chinese map of disputed S. China Sea (opens Washington Times)

    Published

    Washington Times's feed description

    Vietnam’s communist government has banned domestic screenings of the forthcoming film “Barbie” over a scene from the movie that shows a map of China’s expansive maritime claims in the South China Sea, according to reports from Asia.

  3. Rolling Stone

    'Barbie' Movie Banned in Vietnam Over Controversial South China Sea Map (opens Rolling Stone)

    Published

    Rolling Stone's feed description

    A scene showing the contested nine-dash line made Greta Gerwig’s film the latest movie to be nixed in Vietnam

  4. Variety

    'Barbie' Movie Banned in Vietnam Over Disputed Map Scene (opens Variety)

    Published

    Variety's feed description

    Warner Bros.' 'Barbie' will be banned in Vietnam over a depiction of a map that appears to violate the country's sovereignty.

  5. WWLP Springfield

    Vietnam bans ‘Barbie’ movie for its map depicting South China Sea (opens WWLP Springfield)

    Published

    WWLP Springfield's feed description

    Vietnam has banned the yet-to-be-released “Barbie” film from domestic distribution over a scene featuring a map that depicted China’s claimed territory in the South China Sea.

  6. France 24

    Bye bye 'Barbie': Vietnam bans new movie over South China Sea map (opens France 24)

    Published

    France 24's feed description

    Vietnam has banned the upcoming "Barbie" movie from cinemas over scenes with a map showing China's claims to territory in the South China Sea, state media reported Monday.

  7. Quartz

    Vietnam banned the Barbie movie because of a dispute in the South China Sea (opens Quartz)

    Published

    Quartz's feed description

    Once again, it all comes down to the nine-dash-line

  8. The Guardian

    Vietnam bans Barbie film over disputed map of China’s South China Sea claims (opens The Guardian)

    Published

    The Guardian's feed description

    Scene shows map of China’s controversial ‘nine-dash line’ – repudiated in international ruling

  9. Voice of America

    Vietnam Bans 'Barbie' Movie Because of 'Nine-Dash-Line' in Map of South China Sea (opens Voice of America)

    Published

    Voice of America's feed description

    'Barbie' is the latest movie to be banned in Vietnam for depicting China's controversial nine-dash line, which was repudiated in an international arbitration court ruling that China refuses to recognize

  10. France 24

    Vietnam bans 'Barbie' movie over controversial South China Sea map (opens France 24)

    Published

    France 24's feed description

    Vietnam has banned Warner Bros’ highly-anticipated film “Barbie” from domestic distribution over a scene featuring a map that shows China’s unilaterally claimed territory in the South China Sea, state…

  11. Fox News

    'Barbie' movie banned in Vietnam over map depicting disputed territory in South China Sea (opens Fox News)

    Published

    Fox News's feed description

    The new "Barbie" movie has been banned in Vietnam due to a scene featuring a map with the "nine-dash line", which illustrates China's territorial claims in the South China Sea.

  12. The Week

  13. Bloomberg

    Vietnam Bans ‘Barbie’ Movie on Disputed Territory Map With China, Report Says (opens Bloomberg)

    Published

    Bloomberg's feed description

    Vietnam has banned the movie Barbie from domestic distribution due to a scene that shows a map of the disputed South China Sea, VnExpress news website reported.

  14. The Daily Caller

    Vietnam Bans ‘Barbie’ Movie Over Territorial Dispute With China (opens The Daily Caller)

    Published

    The Daily Caller's feed description

    The country of Vietnam has banned the domestic distribution "Barbie" over a territorial dispute with China.

  15. Deutsche Welle

    Vietnam bans 'Barbie' film because of South China Sea map – DW (opens Deutsche Welle)

    Published

    Deutsche Welle's feed description

    The upcoming "Barbie" movie will not appear in Vietnamese cinemas because it depicts a map showing China's claims to the South China Sea, state media reported. It had been scheduled for release later this month.

  16. Forbes

    ‘Barbie’ Movie Banned In Vietnam Over Controversial Map (opens Forbes)

    Published

    Forbes's feed description

    Officials in Vietnam reportedly banned ‘Barbie’ for showing China’s nine-dash line on a map of the South China Sea, a territorial claim the country disputes.

  17. CNN

    Vietnam bans 'Barbie' movie over South China Sea map (opens CNN)

    Published

    CNN's feed description

    Vietnam has banned Warner Bros.’ highly anticipated film “Barbie” from domestic distribution over a scene featuring a map that shows China’s unilaterally claimed territory in the South China Sea, state media reported on Monday. (Warner Bros’, like CNN, is a unit of Warner Bros. Discovery.)

  18. KREM Spokane

    Vietnam bans 'Barbie' movie over illustration showing China's territorial claim (opens KREM Spokane)

    Published

    KREM Spokane's feed description

    A map in the film reportedly shows China’s “nine-dash line,” which marks disputed territory in the South China Sea that China claims as its own.

  19. Valdosta Daily Times

    Vietnam bans 'Barbie' movie due to an illustration showing China's territorial claim (opens Valdosta Daily Times)

    Published

    Valdosta Daily Times's feed description

    State media have reported that Vietnam has banned distribution of the popular "Barbie" movie because it includes a view of a map showing disputed Chinese territorial claims in the South

  20. Delaware Public Media

    Why the 'Barbie' movie won't be making it to Vietnamese screens (opens Delaware Public Media)

    Published

    Delaware Public Media's feed description

    It was banned because a scene shows a map with the "nine dash line." The line of dashes depicts China's claim to own the South China Sea. Vietnam and others reject it and the U.S. says it's unlawful.

  21. ABC 7 Chicago

    Barbie South China Sea map: Vietnam bans movie for illustration showing China's territorial claim (opens ABC 7 Chicago)

    Published

    ABC 7 Chicago's feed description

    State media have reported that Vietnam has banned distribution of the popular "Barbie" movie because it includes a view of a map showing disputed Chinese territorial claims in the South China Sea.

  22. WSVN Miami

    Vietnam bans ‘Barbie’ movie due to an illustration showing China’s territorial claim - WSVN 7News | Miami News, Weather, Sports (opens WSVN Miami)

    Published

    WSVN Miami's feed description

    HANOI, Vietnam (AP) — Vietnam’s state media have reported that the government banned distribution of the popular “Barbie” movie because it includes a view of

  23. The Diplomat

    Vietnam Nixes ‘Barbie’ Release Over South China Sea Map (opens The Diplomat)

    Published

    The Diplomat's feed description

    The upcoming film is the latest to fall afoul of the country’s censors for depicting a map containing China’s “nine-dash line” maritime claim.

  24. Newsweek

    What "Barbie" movie's South China Sea map actually shows (opens Newsweek)

    Published

    Newsweek's feed description

    Vietnam has reportedly banned the release of Margot Robbie's "Barbie" over its depiction of the South China Sea.

  25. PBS NewsHour

    Vietnam bans 'Barbie' movie over map of South China Sea (opens PBS NewsHour)

    Published

    PBS NewsHour's feed description

    The newspaper Vietnam Express reported that posters advertising the movie, which was supposed to open in Vietnamese theaters on July 21, were removed from websites of Vietnamese movie distributors after Monday's decision.

Showing the first 25 of 31 headlines. ·

Identical headlines usually mean shared wire copy. They are counted as separate articles but are not independent confirmation.

Philippines consider banning ‘Barbie’ movie over South China Sea map | Since Then